Record changing phonograph mechanism



y 1942- i L. a. GREEN 2,289,356

RECORD CHANGING PHONOGRAPH IEGHAIIISI Filed March 27 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet1 July 14, 1942. L. B. GREEN RECORD CHANGING PHONOGRAPH MECHANISM 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 27, 1940 July 14, 1942. L. B; GREEN 2,239,355

RECORD CHANGING PHONOGRAP H MECHANISM Filed March 27 1940 4 Slmets-Sheet 3 Jill! 14, 1942- L. B. GREEN 2,289,356

RECORD CHARGING PHONOGRAPH IIECHAIIISI med larch 27, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet4 Patented July 14, 1942 accoun cmmcma MECHANI monocaarn SM Lee B.Green, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to The Generallndustries Company,Elyria, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application Mini 21', 1940, Serial No. 328,195

, 9 Claims. My invention relates to record changing mechanisms forphonpgraphs, and relates more particularly to record changing mechanismsof the general type wherein a stack of records, normal- I ly supportedabove a phonographtumtable, are automatically lowered, one at a time,onto the uppermost surface of the turntable, or onto the uppermostsurface of any uppermost records at the time disposed on the turntable,for reproduction by the phonograph reproducer adapted to traverse andreproduce the records during the playing thereof.

It is an object of myinvention toprovide an improved mechanism 01! theabove type which may be economically manufactured, and which is ofsturdy and reliable construction, and which will operate over longperiods for a great number of operations,'without the necessity ofreadjustment of any of the parts.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved mechanism ofthe above type,

wherein improved record supporting and lowering means is provided tomore reliably lower one of the records of, a stack of-records supportedthereby, and without the liability of damage to records of the supportedstack even though these ing to any 01' said adjusted positions, occupythe 7 same relative lateral position.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved adjustmentmechanism, asset forth in the preceding object, wherein the precedingobject is achieved and wherein records supported by said selectivelyadjusted record supporting means are discharged to the turntable byrotative movements of the supporting means wherein said adjustingmechanism for each adjustment,

will present saidsupp rting means to the sides of records of the sizesfor each adjustment, in the same rotative angular position of saidsupporting means at each operation thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide,

for a record changing mechanism of the above type, improved adjustmentmeans to variably position a rotatable record supporting post which isdisposed at the sides of the records to greater or less distances fromthe axis of rotation of said records to substantially correspond to thevariation oi radial dimension of different sets of rec-- ords to beserved by the mechanism in the difmay vary slightly in diameters and'inedge portion thicknesses, and in theiorm of the edges.

Another object-of my invention is to provide improved supporting andrecord discharging means, as set forth in the previous object, wherein aplurality of said supporting means may coferently adjusted positions ofsaid post, and wherein a rotative movement of said post over a givenangle of rotation is effective to release to a turntable, a lowermostrecord of a reserve stack of record supported above the turntable, and

wherein said post prior to that rotative movement which would releasethe lowermost record 0! the stack, and in each said adjusted positionoperatively support a stack of records and lower one of said records ata time, as desired, in sequence.

' Another object of my invention is to provide an improved mechanismachieving the aforesaid objects, and wherein said plurality or recordsupporting and discharging means may be readily and quicklycorrespondingly adjusted by, an operator to accommodate records ordifierent 1 standard sizes. 1

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved mechanismachieving the aforesaid objects, and wherein said plurality of recordsupporting and discharging means may be readily and quicklycorrespondingly adjusted by an operator to accommodate records ofdifl'erent standard sizes, and whereby, by operation of saidimprovedadjusting mechanism, said plurality oi record supporting andrecord discharging means may be selectively adjusted for records, ofdiflferent sizes in such manner'that each will, with respect to thediameter of records correspondof the post, has the same radial portiondisposed in corresponding alignment with the radius of the turntablewhich is in the vertical plane of the post axis.

Another object of my invention is to provide, for a record changingmechanism or the above type, improved adjustment means to variably soposition a record supporting and discharging post 1 disposed laterally01a record supporting turntable, to greater or less distances from theaxis of rotation of said turntable and preserving the some normalalignment with the vertical plane of that radius ofthe turntable whichif laterally projected would include the axis of rotation of said post,with the same radial portion of said post,and at the same time tomaintain a constant relative 'rotative position of said post, so

that in all laterally adjusted positions thereof,

laterally extending record'supporting and discharging elements 0! saidpost have. the same portions disposed radially or the axis ofpost-rotation in alignment with the vertical plane of the turntable axiswhich ii. laterally projected would include the axis 0! rotation of saidpost,

maybe re-adlusted.

. wt ap l n the meat, together-with portions of whereby said supportingand discharging post elements are adapted to move in 'arcuate pathssimilarly related to said planes in all post adjustment positions.

Another object of my invention is to provide, for phonograph recordchanging mechanisms of the type having record supporting meanscomprising a plurality of sets of arcuately movable blades, each setmounted on a post disposed laterally of the phonograph turntable, andwherein said blades support a stack of supe p sed disc records above aturntable and upon arcuate movement of the blades to release a lowermostrecord of the stack to the underlying tumtable,-

1 improved adjustment means for said supporting means to position saidsets of blades to predetermined varying distances laterally from theaxis of the stack of records, and operating in an improved manner'toinsure that a line extending between the axis oi movement of said bladesand the stack axis will traverse the vertical plane of the same portionof said record supporting means, in all laterally adjusted positions ofsaid supporting means, thereby insuring the same timed cooperativecontact between said blades and stacked records of one size for whichsaid supporting means is pre-adiusted as for another differentrelationship;

size of records for which said supporting means Another obiect of myinvention is to provide, in a mechanism of the type described, havingarcuately movable record supporting and releasblades operative when saidblades are arcuately moved to release .a record of a stack supportedabpve a turntable, said adjustment means adaptable to be adjusted todiiferent lateral positions relative to the axis of said stack and ineach position to insure the same timed cooperative contact between saidblades and stacked records of one size for which said supporting meansis preadiusted as for another size of records for which said supportingmeans may be re-adjusted.

Another object of my' invention is to provide,

in mechanism achieving the aforesaid objects,

improved manually adjustable means for conditioning the phonograph forordinary manual operation, in an improved manner.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will becomeapparent by reference to the accompanying description and the drawingshereof, illustrating an embodiment of my-invention, whereof ancillarycooperative apparatus oi one form of apparatus with which my inventionmay be" employed is illustrated in my co-pendi'ng application'forpatent, Serial No. 312,839, filed- January 8, 1940, for improvements inPhonograph record changing of which the pres- V is divisional. Referringto thedrawings hereof:

1 is a top plan view oi a phonograph and record changer unit showing, intop plan,elements or an embodiment oi my inventionFlgs.2and3areviewsshowingatopplanofa record supporting and recorddischarging element of which a plurality are preferably employed in theillustrated embodiment oi my invention, 2 showing the'supporting anddischarg n element in in initial normal position, and Fig. 3

same elements in fully advanced oprelatlve to:the stack of recordserated position,

'indicated in said figures:

the associated coing blades, improved adjustment means ror said accusesoperative parts of a phonograph mechanism with which my invention isadapted to operate;

Fig.5 is a view, partly'in vertical section and Fig. 9, but with certainof the parts rotated into the plane oi the section which would nototherwise 'appear;

, Fig. 11 is an enlarged plan of the record stack supporting unit: r

Fig. 12 is a similar Fig. 13 is a plan viewof a record; and FlFig. 14 isa section taken on the line "-44 of 8. 1. Referring now to the variousfigures of drawings, in which like parts are designated by likereference characters, which, incidentally, correspond to referencecharacters of the drawings of my said co-pending' application, for thesame parts illustrated and described therein, I show at no a mountingplate provided with bolt receiving apertures ll of the plate, sodisposed as to conveniently mount the plate in a phonograph cabinet,there beingiliustrated a phonograph turntable 29 adapted to supportoneor more records R, the uppermost of which containing on its uppersurface the usual indentured reproducing groove adapted to be traversedby the usual reproducing needle of a phonograph reproducing tone arm 49.

The tone arm 40 is adapted, by means not illustrated, herein, to beelevated to lift the needle from the record at the conclusion of theplaying of a record, and to be swung outwardly beyond the periphery ofthe records R, whereupon the lowermost record of the stack of records 8,may be .'released by the record releasing or supplying means hereinafterto be described, whereupon the said tone arm-is adapted to be movedlaterally inwardly and downwardly to again replace the needle-0n theupper surface of the record in theinitial record reproducing groovethereof, in

a the usual manner. Y

The means for elevating, lowering, and swinging thetone arm, and thespeciiicmeans for actuating the lever III, Fig.1, which, through thelinkage to be hereinafter described, operates the record releasingmechanism, may be of any desired known type, being illustrated herein,however, as being operated by a projection I93 on a periodicallyrotatable disc I for the purpose oi 4 showing one way in which theapparatus oi the present invention may be suitably operated.

Incidentally, the disc I04 may be operated through a reducing gearmechanism indicated at 11-28, from a friction wheel 22 of the powertake-off mechanism, hereinafter described, which is adapted to beperipherally engaged with the inner 28:11am? of a depending flange ofthe tumtable The power take-oi! at the rim-II of the turnview showingthe parts of Fig. 11 in a different position;

table drives the mechanisms which lift the tone arm. at the conclusionof a record, swing it of! to the side, and return it to the succeedingrecord, and which drop the succeeding record into place from the stackof S, Fig. 5. As illustrated.

be oscillated about a shaft 25, and thus the wheel 22 may be swung intoand out of engagement with the rim 2|, under control of the mechanismconcealed beneath the turntable and to be later described. I

'Within the housing 24, Fig. 9, the spindle 23 carries a worm 25 drivinga worm wheel 21 on a shaft 23. Near its opposite end, illustrated inFig. 10, the shaft is'formed as a worm 29 drivin a worm wheel 30 rigidwith the shaft 25, before mentioned, which carries the various camscontrolling the tone arm and record changes. The upper end of the shaft25 isrotatably mounted in a plate 3| bolted, as at 32, Fig. 5, beneaththe base plate Depending, integral legs 33 of the plate 3| support alower plate 34 which carries the bearing for the lower end of the shaft25. Also journalled in the upper and lower plates is a hollow shaft 35,Figs. and 5a, which projects upwardly through the base plate III.Clamped to the upper end of the shaft, by means of a bolt 35, is a block31 having depending cars 33. These ears support the pivot pins 39 of thetone arm 40. The tone arm normally rests on the record, but may be swungupwardly by the upper'end of the rod 4|, slidable within the hollowshaft 35.- The lower end of the rod is enaged by a rocker arm 42 pivotedat 43, Figs. 4

' and 6, to the lower plate 34. The rocker arm,

in turn, engages a cam wheel 44 drivingly secured to the shaft 25.During normal playing operation of the phonograph, the rocker arm en-.

gages a lull 45 of the'cam .and allows the rod iii to drop free of thetone arm so that the weight of the latter is carried by the needle onthe rec'- ord in the usual manner. At the conclusion of the record,however, the power take-off is initiated and the cam is revolved,rocking the arm,

52 to lift the rod 4|, and thereby lifting the tone arm from the record.The tone arm remains elevateddue to the lull 45 of the cam, until theoperations of swinging it aside and back again, and of record changing,have been completed.

The swinging of the tone arm in an outwardly direction is accomplishedby means of'a cam 41 rigid with the shaft 25. Pinned to the tone armshaft 35, Figs. 5, 5a, and 9, is a cam follower 48 which is engaged bythe cam 41, im-

mediately after the tone arm has been raised.

the stack supporting posts, as later described.

Itwillsuillce at this time merely to say that the position of the postadjacent to the tone arm mechanism rotates an arm 5|, Fig. 4, intoeither of two positions. A pin 52 inthis arm is embraced by a slot in anarm 53, the integral hub of which may rotate on a stud 54 fixed tothelower plate 34. The lower face of the hub is formed as a cam 55 whichco-a'cts with a comple- The.

mentary cam on the hub 55 of a fork 51. fork is slidable on the stud 54'and is urged upwardly, by a spring 53. against the cam-55, the

upward movement of the latter being limited by the head of the stud.Thus, when the adjustment is made for a twelve-inch record the arm 5|.and therefore the arm 53, are in the full line position of Fig. 4, andthe cam 55 forces the fork 51 to its lower position. With conditions setfor The cam is so formed as to swing the follower i8, and therefore thetone arm, until the latter isfree of the largest. record for whichthephono-" graph is adapted, in the-present case one of twelve-inch'diameter, and by continued rotation to free the follower'for,subsequent return, by

other means. 5

The return of the tone arm to the succeeding record is controlled byeither-of two cams 49 or' 5||, depending upon the size, of the records.

being played; The machine of the present invention is adapted toaccommodate the two com- .monstandardsizeamamely the ten-inch andtwelve-lnch-records, by adjusting the position of ten-inch records; thearm 53, will be in'the broken line position and the cam will allow thelower 50 extends to they opposite side of the shaft 25 from the follower48, previously described, and hence rotates the shaft 35 and the tonearm to return the latter from its outer position; As seen in Fig. 9,each' cam 49 and 1504s so formed as to be free of the follower 50{during most of its revolution but engages it, at the proper time, torotateiit to.a point where the tone arm is positioned immediately above.the starting groove of the twelve-inch record. Further revolution of thecam ilifrees the follower entirely, and the tone arm is then'lowered tothe record, as previously described, and is carried along by the groovein the usual mannerduring playing. Kick-in humps 50a and 45a give thetone arm an impulse to swing it in the playing direction to insureengagement. of the tone arm needle with the playing groove of a record.

When operating with ten-inch records, the tone arm, of course, must bereturned a greater distance to reach the starting groove GI, Fig.

l3, and therefore the cam' 49, at which the, follower 59 is positionedin this. case, is sufficiently larger than the cam 50 to produce theadditional rotation of the follower. two cams are alike.

During the interval in which the tone arm re mains at its outermostposition, a record R is dropped from a previously arranged stack S, Fig.5, onto the turntable. Of course one or more records may'already be onthe turntable at this time. but'there is morethan ample frictionalcontact between them to drive the uppermost one during the playingoperation, and the tone arm 40 is raised sufliciently by the rod 4| toclear an accumulated ten or more.

To support the stack of records above the turntable. until such a timeas they are to be dropped on the turntable, two posts i5, and 1| arepositioned at diametrically opposite corners of the base plate I, asseen in Fig. '1. Carried within these posts, and rotated by means laterdescribed, are shafts 12,- Fig. 5.- Mounted on the squared upper end ofeach shaft '12 is a flat, roughly triangular plate 13, the inner edgeportion' of which is slightly within'the periphery of a record, asseenin Figs. 1 and ll, and thus serves a support therefor. Rotation of theshaft,

and therefore of the plate, through approxi- In other respects the plateor blade, 14, is also mounted on the squared end of the shaft 12 andspaced above the first plate, by a third plate I5, a distance equal tothe average thickness of a record.

The plate or blade I4 is formed for the greater part as a. narrow,curved, detached tongue, the outer edge near the free end 16 beingbeveled, as

at" in Fig. 11. The beveled outer edge of the tongue is of arcuate'formand the portions relatively near the end 18 are relatively inwardly di-'rected towards the axis of rotation of the plate. By this construction,the blade outer lateral edge makes inter-record making contactrearwardly of the forward edge I6, and the degree of penetration of theblade is gradually progressively increased as the blade 14 is rotated.

The angle A of rotation is so limited that the spacing and bladesupporting plate I does not reach such position where it would otherwisecontact any record of the stack during blade rotation.

Flexible because of its form and being, further, made of relativelyflexible material such as spring steel, the plate or blade I! canreadily penetrate between the lower two records as the shaft I2 isturned, despite variations in record thickness, and without damage tothem. By

the time the lower plate I3 is about to allow asseen in Figs. 4 and 5.To this crank, at 8|, is pivoted a link 82 which at its other end ispivoted,

, at 83, to one arm 8| of a hell crank 88. Thebell crank is freelypivoted on a stud "mounted at the center of the boss 8|. To a. secondarm 81 of the bell crank is pivoted, at 88, a link 88 which at its otherend is pinned to a rocker arm I88. This rocker arm is rotatably mountedon a post I8I carried by the upper and lower frame plates.

8| and 38, previously described, and itsfree end I82 extends into thepath of a roller pin I88 on a disc I84 rigid with the shaft 25.

A spring I85, extending between the pivot pin 88 and one of the legs 83of the frame member 8|, normally keeps the rocker am against the rubberbumper I88, and the plate 18 in stack supporting position. Duringrotation .of the shaft 25, by the power take-oil, the pin l88 approachesand engages the side face at one end I82 of the rocker arm and continuedrotation rocks it about the post I M in a clockwise direction as viewedin Figs. '4 and 9. This, through the linkage 88-89, rotates the shaft I2to drop the record from the plate I8, as previously described.

Upon further rotation of the shaft, the'rocker arm rides of! the pin I83and the linkage 88-88 and the record supporting unit are restored by 1the spring I85. 7

the bottom record to drop, the tongue has turned.

sufliciently for the stack to be supported at the relatively stifiregion near the underlying spacer plate I5. After the record'has beendropped,

the parts reaching the position shown in Fig.

- 12, the shaft is rotatedin the opposite direction to return thesupport to its original position. In

doing so the stack rides down the flexible tongue.

and is'gently deposited upon the main supporting plate I3 and isreadyfor the next cycle- In the mechanism of the present invention, twosizes of records are to be accommodated and the supporting posts I8 and'II are therefore so formed as to assume the necessary positions.

The post 18 will be first described; this post I carried by an integralstandard 88, Figs. 1 and 5, having a boss 8 I projecting downwardlythrough a hole 82 in the base plate I8. About,

this boss. as a pivot the post is swung to either of its two operatingpositions. It is to the boss 8| that the arm 5|, previously described,is splined as seenin Fig. 5. A spring-pressed plunger 83 sildesvertically in the standard 88 and may enter either of two holes in thebase plate. The plunger is retractable by means of the handle 85 and maybe retained in retracted position by the radial lugs 88 which arewithdrawn from corresponding slots in the standard and ride upon thehorizontal face 88a when I the handle is turned.

A pointer 81 isfp'rovided on the standard to register with suitableindicia,such as the inscribed buttons 88 and 88 on thebase plate, to

facilitate the correct placing of the post by the" operator. The postmay be swung outwardly past its outermost record-supporting position toallow the larger size records to be removed from the turntable.

The post I8- projects downwardly through an opening 88 and secured tothe lower, squared end of the shaft I2, carrying the record supportingunit 18. is ashorterank 88 belowthe basoplate,

The post II is provided with an identical stack supporting unit-'I3,'shaft I2, crank 88, pivot 8|,

and link 92.- as is the post I8. The link 82 is I metrically'oppositethe boss 8| of thestandard- 88 and at an equal distance from the'tumtable spindle. The other arm I88 of the bell crank I88 is linked bythe bar II8 with a third arm lot the bell crank 85. The two arms I88 andIII are parallel and of equal length, and hence any rotation to the bellcrank 85 imparts an equal rotation to the bell crank I88. Moreover,parallelism and equality of length are provided between the arms 88 andI81. the links 82-82,

and the cranks 88-88, respectively. Thus the shafts I2 are given equalrotations by the rocker arm I88,-and it is'assured that the two units I8will drop their respective portions of the record.

simultaneously so that it will not fall obliquely with the attendantnoise and danger of breakage, or binding on the spindle, but will becushionedby the air beneath as it falls smoothly into place.

Splined to the .boss 8; of the standard 880 is an arm 2, below the baseplate I8, and above the bell crank I88. A link II 8 extends from thepivot pin II4'on the free end of the arm to a boss H5, Fig. 5,projecting downwardly from .the standard 88 through an'elongated opening8 in the base plate. Thelever arm of the boss [I5 about the pivot 'at8|, and the lower arm of thepin Ill about the bossJIa, extend in thesame direction and are parallel and of equal length, and thusthe-placing of the post 18, by the operator, at either of its twooperating positions orat its clearance position, causes.

the record or of the'swinging of the units about I the pivots t and m.This condition is if the angle A, Fig. 4, between the crank 30and 130 isderived from the assumed a line L drawn from the center of the shaft 12to the turntable center, is preserved in shifting from one operatingposition to the other. To

' this end the point 33 at which the link 32 fromt the crank pivots onthe bell crank I08,is so chosen as to beequi-distant from the twooperating positions of the point 3|, shown in full and broken lines inFig. 4. This same geometrical relationship exists between the crank 30of the post 10 and its respective bell'crank 35 as has just beendescribed in connection with the post 1| and bell crank I03.

In Fig. 11 the supporting unit is shown as it normally appears at'itstwooperating positions. For clarity of the illustration the unit has beenrepresented as stationary and the smaller sized record RI has been movedtoward it, instead of vice versa. It will be seen that the supportingunit stands in exactly the same relationship to the edge of both largeand small records, R and \RI, respectively.

Due he uiarity ofthe arms at and m with respect to aIfiIEbEtWQfilllEjhflfts 12 and their respective pivots II and Ia,tlwcranks 30 their inner positions as at their outer positions.

. will not be pulled through as great an angle at 5 the cam plate I35,at this time, is revolving past the flange I the flange will simply ridealong its concentric outer edge I41 untilit passes and the bell crankwill then continue on to its stop I45. The flange I now projects intothe path of the cam plate, the lower surface ofwhich is beveled as atI40, Fig. 8, and will therefore, at its next approach, ride up onto theflange. The parts are at this time in the position shown in Figs. 7 and8 and the cam I31 has been raised to engage the cani follower I30.Continued rotation forces the cam follower outwardly, rocking the armI30 to move the wheel 22 against the rim. Near the end of its travel,the rocker arm engages a. pin I43 on the bell crank I42 which is therebyrocked counter-clockwise sufficiently to be reengaged by the latch- I44,when the tripping means is later withdrawn, and the flange MI is thusreturned to idle position. As the rocker arm I30 rim, a lug I50 on thearm is caught by a latch I5I on an arm I52, Fig. 1. This arm-isdrivinglymounted on a rockshaft I53 iournalled in the base plate. Also drivinglymounted on the rockshaft, below the base plate, is a cam follower I54.The disc I04, previously mentioned as carrying the roller pin I03, hasformed on its periphery fa single cam tooth I55. After the shaft 25 hasThis, however, is of no moment, since once the record has been dropped,continued rotation of the stack supporting units is ample to introduce asufilciently firm support beneath the stack, as previously described,and illustrated in Fig. 12,

where the ultimate position of the unit, when op crating with smallerrecords BI, is shownin broken lines.

To cover what would otherwise .be unsightly holes in the base plate I0,flat, integral wings I I1 and I I8 are formed on the standard 80.to lineabove the opening H3, and wings H9 and I are formed on both standards 00and 00a to lie above the openings 34. r

Coming now to the mechanism above the base plate,I0, which initiates thepower take-off to produce the movements previously described, it y willbe seen that the spindle 23 for the rubbertired wheel 22 is embraced bya cam slot I3I in a rocker arm I30. At. its right hand end I32, asviewed in Figs. 1 and 2, this slot is concentric about the rocker armshown in Fig. 2 in a counter-clockwise.direction which thewheel willderive the shaft 25 by means of the 24, as previously described. Thecounter-clockwise movement of the arm turntable spindle. The block I6,previously mentioned,as keyed to the spindle, pivotally carries at I34acam plate I35 the power to drive speed reduction unit pivot I33 fromthe position I55. The latch ,The lug I 50 is thereby.

been rotated to produce the tone arm movements and record changin thistooth engages the follower I54, camming it outwa'rdly against a springI5I thus releases the lug I50 which is then caught by a second latchI51. During the attendant. slight movement of the rocker arm I30, thewheel 22 is still held in driving engagement because of the concentriclull. I32 in the cam slot.

.Further driving of the shaft 25 releases the follower from the camtooth I55 and the spring I58 returns the arm I52 against its bumper I58.released from the latch I51 and the rocker arm is swung to its idleposi- I tieh of Fig. 2, by the spring no, and the wheel is whichnormally rests on a rubber bumper I38 on the block at a point remotefrom the pivot I34.

The upper surface of the plate I35 is formed, as

at I31, as a cam. The plate revolveswith the turntable spindle'andin itsnormal lower position passes beneath a .cam follower I38 formed on therocker arm I30.

The cammechupstanding flange I of an arm of a bell crank I42, pivoted onthebase plate at 7 I43, is normally held out of engagement with the camplate I35 by means of a latch I44. When this latch is tripped, however,by means later described, the bell crank is rotated clockwise againstthe stop'i45 by meanslof a spring. I46. If

withdrawn from the rim 2 I The tripping of the latch I44 initiates allthe movements and operations so far described, excepting the'manualadjustments, and is accomplished by the tone arm upon its arrival at apoint, near the spindle, to which it has been iil flby the p ayinggroove G and its con- 'i inuation as a run-in groove G2, Fig. 13; Se-

cured to the hollow tone arm shaft 35 is a, de-

pending bell-shaped skirt I10 concealing the bearing of-theshaft.Projecting laterally from this skirt and thus swinging with the tonearm40 is an arm "I pivotally'carrying, at its free end, a rod I12 whichextends beneath the tumtable rim and adjacent the latch I44. A latchtripping finger free end of the rod, is adapted to engage an upstandingear I14 on the latch member, thus tripping it when the rod is' pulledfar enough by the arm I. The rod I12 is yieldably and slidably heldagains. a knife-edge I15, also on the latch member, by a light leafspring I15, mounted on an upstanding ear on the base plate, and isslidably supported by the horizontal surface I11. The rod is provided,near itsfree end, with a series of latch teeth I18 which may be'formedby circumferential grooves as seen in Fig. 3. As the needle and tone armapproach the conclusion of the playing groove these teeth reach theknife-edge I15 and slide over it one by one, due to the complementarybevels of the teeth and knife-edge. Any reverse movement, except asengages the wheel and I13, adiustably secured to 'the later explained,of the tone arm from then on will cause the rod I12 to reverse itsdirection and the knife-edge will be moved by the radial surface of atooth to rock the latch member I,

about its pivot I19 and against the spring I80,

in tripping direction.

The latch can thus be tripped by the tone arm 3 in two different ways. Arecord having a run-in groove G2 will swing the tone arm far enough toengage the finger I13 and latch ear I14. A record without a run-ingroove will allow the tone arm to travel-to and fro after the needleleaves the playing groove and at its first reverse swing the knife-edgewill be moved as just described. I

The ear I14 is set slightly oblique to the path of the finger I13 andthe end of the finger has a corresponding bevel I3I. 0n engagement,therefore, the finger is urged to the right, Figs. 1

and 2, and pressure of the teeth on the kniferied by the rocker arm I30,as seen in Fig.1.

A further means of tripping the latch is furnished by the manualstarting button I90, proiecting upwardly through an opening in the baseplate and attachedjo a rocker arm IQI pivoted at is: beneath thebaRplateT'igswl-anddtJL its other end the arm I9I is bent upwardly atI93 to pass through a second opening in the base plate. Then the buttonISO is ressed P l 4 p In the third case, pressing the starting buttondownwardly. a beveled surface I94. on the end I93 of the latch member Iand cams it in the tripping direction. The rocker arm is normally heldout of engagement by a spring I96.

. A further means of disengaging the teeth on Q the rod I12 from theknife edge element I1! of the latch I is provided by the arm 2 rigidlyafllxed to the link 3, by thrust engagement oi the upstanding projection202 of saidarm 23I, laterally against the rod I12, by adjustment or thestandard to the position where the handle .85 carried by the post Ilmayproject into the aperture 203, Fig. 1, whichis the proper adjustedposition of the standard 80 for manual operation of the phonograph. Suchan adjustment results in such advanc'ed'movement or the link "3 to theleft, as viewed in Fig. 4, as to move the projection 202, as viewed inFig. 2, to the right, and thereby deflect the rod I12 about its axis ofpossible rotation 234 against the power ofthe relathiely weak spring"I13. This will prevent any movement of the rod I12 laterally'to effectengagement between its threads 23! and the latch tooth I15, and alsowill prevent any engagement between the tip m of the arm I13, on thefree end of the rod I12, and the flange I14 of thelatch I, aspreviously'described for'automatic operation of thephonograph.

Thus, when the adjustable handle 03 is moved to manual position, where alower projection registers with the position 233,-the rod I12 isdisabled from performing any of theoperative functions required of itduring automatic operation,

or 33,1 'ig. 1.

.The variouseiements of the mechanism havingbcen described, a completecycle of operation. willnowbebrieflyexplainedtocoordinatetheir variousfunctions. The records to be played having been chosen, the posts "andII are placed when said handle is in eitherof the positions 33 in thepro er position, by means of the handle 38 and indicia 88-89, toaccommodate the size stacked upon the spindle so as' to rest upon theposts. The motor I2 is started by means of a switch 200 at the front ofthe base plate, the

tone arm being swung aside.

Three different conditions may prevail at the start, as follows: Thelower take-oil may be engaged from previous operation of the machine andthe mechanisim may have previously passed the record dropping operationin its cycle; the

power take-oil may be engaged and'record dropping not yet reached; or.the power take-off may be disengaged. I

In the first case, the tone arm will be brought inwardly and lowered atwhat would ordinarily be the starting groove of a record. None being"present, however, the arm remains where it is with the needle suspendedbeyond the rim of the turntable, which is 6f smaller diameter than therecords. The operator presses. the starting button I90 and the powertake-oi! goes throu its next cycle, this time dropping the bottom recordfrom the stack onto the turntable, and

the tone arm again swings inwardly and now engases the record.

In the second case, the record is dropped at once and the tone armswings to-en agc it. The operator may have pressed the starting button,

as a matter of usual procedure, but this is su- ,,periluous in this caseand does nothing but rock the latch member I, the bell crank "2 beingheld by contact of the rocker arm I30 with the engages the powertake-oi! and the mechanism goes through its cycle, droppin the recordand eng ging. it with the tone arm.

The record is now being played. Near the con clusion the tone arm hasbeen swung inwardly iar enough for the teeth I18 to engage the knifeedgeand at the conclusion the needle eaves the playing groove, either tomeander freely or to follow the run-in groove. In the first case thelatch I is tripped by the teeth I13 and in the second by the ringer I13.The arm I32 then swings into the path of the revolving cam plate I35,lifting it into engagement with the rocker tatefthe stack supports 13 todrop the second record. The cam follower 63 now engages'the appropriatecam it or 53 and returns the tone arm to the starting groove, to which,it is lowered by the rockerarm l2 and rod ll, and which it is now 'freeagain to follow. The cam tooth I35 tri s the latch arm I32 anddisengages the power take-off.

The;second recordis now v ewe and subsequent ones follow in the samemanner un- ,tfl the stack isexhausted. After-thatthe record supports 13rotate idly and the tone'armreturns to repeat the last record until themotor switch is finally opened. The supporting posts 13 and H are thenmoved outwardly and-the accumulated records may be removed from theturntable.

1 Having thus described my invention in a single embodiment, I am awarethat numerous and ex- 7-5 tensive departures may be made from the em ofrecords beingused- The records are then aeeaese 7 bodiment hereinillustrated and described, but 2. In a record changer for an automaticphowithout departing from the spirit and scope oi nograph comprising aturntable, said record my invention. changer being of the type whereinlowermost I claim: 1 records of a stack disposed vertically above the 1.In a record chan er oi the. type wherein said phonograph turntable areperiodically lowermost records of a stack disposed substandropped uponthe turntable, the combination of tially vertically above a phonographturntable oscillatable posts arranged adjacent said turn-' areperiodically individually dropped therefrom table, two blades on each ofsaid posts for supon to a phonograph turntable, the combination portinga plurality of stacked records above the of a plurality. of rotatableposts positioned later- 10 turntable, said blades having outer'edgeportions ally of the stack, a pair of horizontally extending shiftableinto and out of vertical alignment with superposed relatively spacedrecord engaging border portions ofthe stacked records, and being bladescarried by each of said posts, the lowerarranged at two different'levelsand being angumost of each pair of said blades adapted to be larly sopositioned that said lowermost blade arcuately rotated to position itsouter portion immay normally extend from its supporting post mediatelybelow the lowermost record of the stack to a position where its borderportion underlies to support said stack of records, and to be arcuandsupports the stack by engagement of thev ately rotated toanotherposition laterally spaced lower border surface of the lowermost recordof from the periphery of said stack to release the the stack with allportions of the uppermost blade lowermost record, the uppermost blade ofeach zoextending laterally from the post outwardly be-' pair having arecord engaging beveled outer yond the periphery of saidstack, andwhereby edge portion of generally arcuate form, the outer upon apredetermined rotational movement of edge on thereof disposed relativelynear its said post, said uppermost blade is rotatedtI such/ tip beingmore aid is rdly arcuately directed angular extent as to cause its outered e portion relative to the axis or b l eRrotati 11 than the topenetratejetween thvtwdlowermost records outer edge portion spacedmorerearwar ly irom- We stack, said. blades being relatively angusaid tip,said tip portion-of said blade overlying larly extended from said postthat upon cona trailing portion of the lower blade, and all of tinuedmovement of said lowermost blade it will said recordengaging outerbeveled edge portion be rotated outwardly beyond the periphery of ofsaid blade being disposed at an equal distance 3i) said stack'afterinitial penetrating movement of and at a greater distance from the axis0! said said uppermost blade occurs, whereby th l werbIade rotation'thanthe distance therefrom to the most record of the stack will bevertically dropped adjacent edge of the records of said stackandtherefrom. withthe balance ofthe records of the being arcuatelycurved ina forward direction stack meanwhile supported upon theuppermost towards said tip and sufflciently inwardly to blade, theforward prow end portion of the upperslightly'decrease-thedistance'oi'saidedge pormost blade overlapping the, rearmost portion-oitions from said axis of blade rotation, and linkage the lowermost bladeto such an'extent that outer means so interconnecting said posts, as tocause portions of atleast one of said. bladeswill at all all of theuppermost posts to similarly rotate times be extended within theperipheryoi the and similarly bring likeperipheral portions of all 40records of said stack whereby a single record is- I of the blades inlikerelation to said stack of rdelivered to the turntable on each completeoscilrecords, when any one of said posts is rotated 'a lation of theposts, means to simultaneously adphonograph reproducing tone @Jjllfidfiilfid to just all of said posts for effecting proper lateraltraverse the upper s u rtacesdf the uppermost initial positioning of allof said pairs of blades, record di spg sedeorrthe phonograph turntableto '45 for different sized records, comprising guiding re oduce said'record, and automatic means links disposed below the turntableinterconnectoperable responsive to the completion of a record ing thelower portions of said posts, and a gradureproduction movement of saidtone arm inwardated adjusting device for one of said posts comly of saidupper record to move said tone arm prising a fixed plate disposedadjacent said post outwardly from between said stack and the said to.and having spaced-graduations thereon and an uppermost record, and meansactuated responelement of said post adapted to traverse said sive tosaid outward movement of said arm,-to' plate and to be .positionedadjacent any of the simultaneously rotate all of said posts in suchgraduations thereof whereby all .01 saidposts direction and to suchangular extent as to reare simultaneously correspondingly adjusted bymove each lowermost blade from supporting enadjustment of said device.gagement with the lowermost record of the stack 3. An automaticphonograph substantially as and concurrently to so move each uppermostdescribed in claim 2, the said combination charblade as to cause it topenetrate between the acterized by a relatively upper one of said bladestwo lowermost records of said stack, and means ior'each postbeing'relatively thin and having a to subsequently reverse the direction'ofmove- 6ov penetrating narrowed edge extending substanment of said poststo restore said, blades to their tially eccentrically of its postaxisand then ininitial position, said upper blades being relativelyvwardly with respect thereto near its forward free thin and flexible,and means carried by said posts end, and adapted when its supportingpost is underlying said upper blade to support the shank rotated, topenetrate between the two lower recportionof said'upper blade againstthe bending 5 ords of the stack, said blades being so formed stressimposed on the end-oi said upper blade, and so positioned byv adjustmentof said posts while temporarily supporting the said balance for recordsof the stack whereby said stack is of the stack of records, said upperblade being initially supported on therelatively lower blade free ofrestraint by said underlying supporting of each post, and whereby saidposts when oscilmeansagainst upward bending stresses imposed -lated inthe initial forward direction move the against the under side of the endportion or said most laterally extended portion'oi each lowerupper bladeresulting from upward camming most blade from engagement with the loweraction of the lowermost record of a stack during border surface of thelowermost record which the previous penetrating movement of said upperis thereby released, and the said upper blade 'blade. 7 beingconcm'rently rotated from aninoperative 8 aasaase position to anoperative position during which tially supported on the relatively lowerof said rotation the outerv edge portions of the thin upper blades ofeach post, and whereby said posts when blade which are mostlaterallyextended from oscillated in the initial forward direction moveits axis progressively enter and penetrate bethe lowermost blade fromengagement with the tween the border'portions of the two lowermost 6lower border surface of the lowermost record records," whereby after thelowermost record is which is thereby released, and the said upperreleased the remaining records are supported by blade being so formedand disposed that when said upper thin blade. concurrently rotated froman initial position to 4. In a record changer for an automatic phoanoperative position its outer edge portions pronograph comprising aturntable, said record 10 gressively enter and penetrate between theborder changer being of the type wherein lowermost portions of the twolowermost records, w hereby,

records of a stock dis osed vertically above the durin and afte r l asof the l w rmost rec rd, said phonograph turntable are periodically theremaining records are supported by 'said dropped uponthe turntable, thecombination of upp thin. blade. and means assotiated w oscillatableposts arranged adjacent said, turneach of said posts extending radiallyoutwardly table, swinging supports forsaid ost t o bl d s therefrom fora portion of the radial extent of on each of said posts for supporting astack of said thin blade and making engagement with 1 records above theturntable, said blades being the lower surface o the shank of s d upprlaterally shiftable into relative overlapping enmost thin blade tosuppo the -Pe t in gagement with peripheral portions or the low rportionof said bladeagainst undue ylelding by most-pair of said records, andbeingarranged W i f th records imp p 1 at two diiferent levels and beingangularly so 6- I a record eh s rfor-a automatie'phopositioned-thatsaid-lowermost blade may'noros p p s ng a turntable. said ecord 37extend from its supporting post to a'posi- M being of the type whereinlowermostv tion where its border portion underlies and suprecords of' astack disposed vertically above the ports the stack byengagement of thelower bor- Said p ph turntable are P l y der surface or the lowermostrecord otthe stack d oppe p t e turntable. the combination of withallportions of the uppermost blade extendp ll ty of Spaced Will -t l postsrr e ing later ally f the post outwardly beyond th adjacent saidturntable and extending vertically periphery of h anghereby upon a pre-S bstantially above the level thereof, at least one determinednotational movemen I said post, 01 Said Posts b61118 t ly Willa-table,13 v said uppermost blade is rotated to such in of superposed spacedblades on an upper portion extent as to cause its outer edgeportion topenesaid oscillatable post for supporting records trate between the twolowermost records of the i mildew stack, said blades being relativelyangularly exadapted when their supporting pos ls osc a tended from saidpost that upon continued rotato swing on a common vertical axis andhaving tional movement of said lowermost blade it will laterallyextended p o d p sed s b t y be rotated outwardly beyond periphery ofsaid at opposite sides of said axis and said upper blade a stack afterinitial penetrating movement of said comprising a thin flexible outertip extending uppermost blade occurs, whereby the lowerm st 0Substantially curvilinearly in the 'forward direcrecord of the stack,will be vertically drop d tion of post rotation, the end of saidtip-being therefrom with the balance of the records or so extended as toslightly overlap the lower blade. the stack meanwhile supported upon theupperd the uppermost blade having a leading' outer 7 most blade, theforward "prow end portion 1 th edge overlying the trailing outer edge ofthe ppermost blade overlapping the rearmost pop lowermost blade, wherebywhen simultaneously tion of the lowermost blade to such an extentswungone of said blades is removed from supthat outer portions of atleast oneofsaid blades P rting engagement with a border portion of awill at all times be extended within the periphery lowermost record ofthe stack to release said of the records of said stack whereby a singlelowermost record for gravitational descent onto record is delivered tothe turntable on each oome turntable while the other relatively, upper Iplete oscillation of the posts, means to adj st of said blades movesinto supporting contact with the initial position of said blades forstandard the borderportion of the adjacent record of the records of agiven diameter comprising guiding stack to temporarily Support remainingF links disposed below the turntable interconnectords of the stack,pending retractiveswin in ing the lower portionsof said posts, andmanual]; 5 movement of said blades whereby supporting conjustable means-adapted to addustably swing tact of the stack by the lowermost of saidblades one of said post sup ort whereby n of is resumed, whereupon, upona complete correposts are correspondingly swung to th sam spendingoscillation of said blades, a lowermost "determined distance from t n;of said record of the stack is released to the turntable, ords, saiddistance being such as. to correspondm and a support for said upperblade disposed latingly vary th ta 1 t oscillation erally of the stackto prevent excessive flexing of said blades to-the' mo t we m t. thereofwhen said blade supports said stack, and

. 5, m said upper blade being free of said'support to d fl l mf figm gfi mi fi flex upwardly when projected between a loweracterised by irelatively upper one of said blades 66 pm mm a stackfor each post beingrelatively thin and fl xibl '1. In a record changer for an automaticphos'nd'h i m gu mowed ed M, nograph comprising a turntable, said recordingsubstantially eccentrlcallv of the post axes ch er b ing of the typewherein lowermost md th m with respect thereto um its records of a stackdisposed vertically above the forward free end, and adapted when-it'ssupport- 70 a lm h turntable are periodically mg ost is ot t topenetrate betweenfle two droppedupon the turntable, the combination orlower records of the stack, said blades being so 8 plurality of spacedrotatably osolllfitable Posts w mgy l wiuone l by id arranged adjacentsaid turntable and extending jtutment 'of'said posts for of a givenVertically substantially ab ve the level th f. a diameter in the stackwhereby said stack lamp. 7 atleast one of said posts being rotatablyoscll-' I I w v I I latable, a pair of superposed spaced blades on each01' said posts for supporting records in a stack above the turntable,means to simultaneously oscillatesaid posts, said pair of blades adaptedwhen their supporting post is oscillated, to swing on a common verticalaxis and having laterally extended portions disposed substantially atopposite sides of said axis and said upper blade comprising a thinflexible outer tip extending substantially curvilinearly in the forwarddirec-- tion of post rotation, the end of said tip being so extended asto slightly overlap the lower blade, and the uppermost blade having aleading outer edge overlying the trailing outer edge of the lowermostblade, whereby when simultaneously swung one of said blades isremovedirom supporting engagement. with a borderportion oil a lowermostrecord of the stack to release said lowermost record for gravitationaldescent onto the turntable while the other relatively upper 01 saidblades moves into supporting contact with the border portion of theadjacent record 01 the stack to temporarily support the remainingrecords oi the stack, pending retractive swinging movement or saidblades whereby supporting contact of the stack by the lowermost of saidblades is resumed, whereupon, upon a complete corresponding oscillationor said blades, a lowermost record of thestack is released to thetumtable, and a support for said upper blade disposed laterally of thestack to prevent excessive flexing thereof when said blade supports saidthereby moved post and the blades forleach of said posts arecorrespondingly aligned relative to the adiacentperipheral edge portionsof said a lowermost records and with respect to lines ex-- tendingbetween the axis of said stack and the axesot the different posts,in-the difierent-adq justed positions of said pwt supports, whereby.

the initialangle of contact between said blades and the peripheral-edgeof said records issubstantially identical under conditions of said ad'-justment for records of different diameters. c

9. In an automatic record changing-mechanism of the class described, the'combination'with the record supportingturntable, a base supporting asaid turntable and underlying, the same, a 'plu-' rality of standardseach extending upwardlyi'rom and pivotally supported on the base, andeach provided at its free ends with a vertical upwardly extended tubularportion,- a rotatable oscillatable post joumaled in the tubular portiona or each standard,* a pair of record supporting and releasing bladescarried ;by the upperend of each said post, said blades alternatelyengageable with the under sides of the respective two lower records of astack of'records thereby supstack, and said upper blade being tree, orsaid support to flex upwardly when projected between a lowermost pairotmrecords of a stack.-

8. An automatic phonograph substantially as described. in claim 4, thesaid combination characterized by said. links comprising directionchanging levers and said links being so disposed and interconnected withsaid posts whereby and uponmanual adjustment of an adjustable one portedby said blades, whereby a lowermostot I said records is consecutivelydischarged Ir'om the 1 stack to the turntable by oscillating movement,0! said posts and linkage interconnecting said-y.

posts whereby swinging movement oi! one or said standards iscorrespondingly communicated to all of said standards and commonadjustment means for all saidposts' associated with a controllingone ofsaid standards, said adjustment y 'means comprising releasably lockingmeans for retaining said standards in'any, one oi aplu- H may or sw nssly a d positions- 7 a of said posts, said linkage would transmit and sochange the lateral direction of a different

